Footwear Retail in Haugesund: Industry Analysis, Companies, and Outlook

Industry Overview

In Haugesund, there are 9 companies registered in the footwear retail industry, but one of these has gone bankrupt. This shows that the industry has been affected by challenges, especially in 2025 when sales fell by 68.4% compared to 2024. However, the number of employees has shown an increase in recent years, from 34 in 2023 to 54 in 2026. This indicates that the industry has some dynamism, even though there are challenges related to bankruptcies and declining sales.

Economic Overview

Sales in the footwear retail industry in Haugesund have been unstable over the years. The highest sales were achieved in 2018 with NOK 60.3M, but there was a sharp decline in 2025 to NOK 11.5M. This is a decline of 68.4% compared to 2024. The number of employees has shown a more stable development, with a decline from 86 in 2016 to 33 in 2022, but an increase to 54 employees in 2026. This shows that the industry has been affected by both economic challenges and a degree of stabilization in recent years.

Companies in the Industry

There are 9 companies registered in the footwear retail industry in Haugesund. The most important companies include:

• Larssen Sko As Mani Amanda (Longhammarvegen 27) – 40 employees, AS company structure
• Larssen Sko As Avd Hovedkontor (Haraldsgata 126) – 8 employees, AS company structure
• Euro Sko Amanda Storsenter (Longhammarvegen 27) – 6 employees, AS company structure
• Lærvarer As (Longhammarvegen 27) – 6 employees, AS company structure
• Bergen Sneakers As (Haraldsgata 126) – 0 employees, AS company structure (bankrupt)

Company structure: Most companies are organized as AS, with 5 companies and 66 employees in total. There is also a registered bankruptcy estate (KBO) for Bergen Sneakers As.

Business Geography

All companies in the footwear retail industry in Haugesund are registered in Haugesund. There are 5 companies and 66 employees in the city. Economic data shows that there is a total sales of NOK 34.4M, with an operating income of NOK 34.4M and an operating profit of NOK -1.1M. There is also an EBITDA of NOK -792.6K and a gross profit of NOK 226.9M. This shows that the industry has a high gross profit margin, but a low EBITDA margin of -2%.

Business Dynamism

The industry has been affected by bankruptcies and negative economic development. There is 1 bankruptcy registered in 2025, namely Bergen Sneakers As. This company had sales of NOK 10.4M, but an operating profit of NOK -6.8M and an EBITDA of NOK -4.8M. There are also several companies with negative EBITDA, such as Lærvarer As and Larssen Holding As. This shows that the industry has been affected by economic challenges, even though there are companies with positive economics.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs considering starting a footwear retail business in Haugesund, it is important to be aware of the economic challenges in the industry. There is 1 bankruptcy registered in 2025, and there are several companies with negative EBITDA. However, there are also stable companies with positive economics, such as Larssen Sko As and Lærvarer As. There is also a rise in the number of employees in recent years, from 34 in 2023 to 54 in 2026. This suggests that there may be opportunities to establish oneself in the industry, even though there are challenges related to bankruptcies and declining sales.

The broader industry creative, arts, and entertainment activities has 98 companies in Haugesund, compared to 9 companies in the footwear retail industry. Sales in this industry have been more stable, with a decline of 53.4% in 2025, but a higher total sales of NOK 300.6M compared to NOK 11.5M in the footwear retail industry. The number of employees in this industry has also been higher, with 537 employees in 2025. This shows that the broader industry has a more stable economy and a larger market share in Haugesund.

Conclusion

The footwear retail industry in Haugesund has been affected by bankruptcies and declining sales, but there are also stable companies with positive economics. It is important to be aware of the economic challenges, but there may also be opportunities to establish oneself in the industry. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Haugesund for this industry, and provide advice on how to navigate the challenges related to bankruptcies and declining sales.